WORTH THE FIGHT by Liz Durano – Featured New Release

WORTH THE FIGHT

LIZ DURANO

When the woman you’ve loved for years walks back into your life with a ticking biological clock…

Six years ago, Cassie Reynolds was my Harvard mentor—the brilliant woman who taught me everything about business and left me wanting more than professional guidance. Now she’s back as Pierce Enterprises’ Chief Compliance Officer, hired to ensure I don’t make mistakes as the company’s newly appointed CEO.

There’s just one problem: I never stopped thinking about her.

When I discover she’s planning single motherhood through a fertility clinic because she thinks time’s running out, every instinct I have—shaped by Filipino family values that prioritize community over independence—tells me she shouldn’t face this alone.

I could keep my distance. Let her pursue her clinical solution while I focus on proving myself as CEO. Stay safely within professional boundaries while she builds the family she’s always wanted.

Or I could fight for what we could have together.

A partnership. A family. A future where neither of us has to face life’s biggest challenges alone.

The board already questions whether I’m ready to lead. Getting involved with my Chief Compliance Officer could cost me everything I’ve worked for. But watching Cassie plan for single motherhood when I could give her so much more? That’s a risk I can’t ignore.

Some things are worth fighting for—even when the odds are stacked against you. Even when loving her could destroy my career. Even when she’s convinced our nine-year age gap and professional complications make us impossible.

Especially then.

Because the biggest risk isn’t falling in love with the woman I’m not supposed to want.

It’s letting her walk away when we could build something extraordinary together.

Buy Link: Amazon

Although Liz studied Journalism in college, she discovered that she preferred writing fiction over ad copy, and so these days, she writes women’s fiction and romance. She lives in Southern California with her family and a senior Chihuahua mix who keeps guard of her writing space and a growing pile of books (and wool for when she needs to spin for inspiration).

You can follow Liz’s book adventures by visiting and connecting with her via her social media accounts:

Website: lizduranobooks.com
Facebook: facebook.com/lizduranobooks
Instagram: instagram.com/lizdurano
Threads: threads.com/@lizdurano
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@lizdurano
Pinterest: pinterest.com/lizdurano
Ream: reamstories.com/lizdurano

BOOK NEMESIS by Sammie Trinidad – Featured Debut

BOOK NEMESIS

Sammie Trinidad

BLURB

For Serenity Brooks, fanfiction wasn’t just a hobby—it was her escape, her passion, her lifeline. Until Duvall K. Howard, the man she loved, shattered her heart and stole her inspiration in one fell swoop. Now, Duvall’s back, crashing into her life with a life altering secret. The news reignites not only Serenity’s dormant passion for writing but also the burning embers of her anger. The past is back, and she’s not forgiving.

Enter Ezra Sullivan, the witty, charming friend she lost along the way—the one man who truly understands the sting of Duvall’s betrayal. He was Duvall’s roommate, rival, and always second best, and now he’s Serenity’s partner in crime. Together, they’re plotting the ultimate literary takedown, a campaign of creative vengeance that will take them through the chaotic world of conventions, awkward signings, and the constant scrutiny of overbearing parents and relentless relatives.

But as Serenity and Ezra navigate the minefield of their shared past and their complicated present, the lines between friendship, revenge, and something undeniably, irresistibly hotter begin to blur. What starts as a strategic alliance—a fake romance for revenge—evolves into something neither of them anticipated as their connection deepens. Will their quest for payback against Duvall lead them to something more with each other, or will their staged romance threaten to derail their plans and break their hearts all over again?

Buy link: Amazon

Add to Goodreads

ABOUT SAMMIE

Sammie Trinidad likes to call herself the “Filipina Wonder Woman” – she even has the cosplay to prove it. Her stories include romance, both in SFF and contemporary, and fantasy. All her stories come from the heart because she has faced the unimaginable: death of her son, who died from SIDs. Grief inspired her to explore the layers of the human condition, exploring connection in all its messy, intriguing, and deeply personal forms. When not writing, Sammie can be found indulging in dark chocolate, watching Schitt’s Creek or Vampire Diaries for the zillionth time, or cuddling with her sweet dog and chunky cat, Zelda and Link.

Social Media Links:

Facebook – Sammie Trinidad’s Book Mates
Instagram – @sammietrinidadcreates
Threads – @sammietrinidadcreates
TikTok – @sammietrinidadcreates
Newsletter – newsletter.sammietrinidadcreates.com

REVIEW

Review to follow.

MERRY WITH A TYCOON by Liz Durano – Featured New Release

MERRY WITH A TYCOON

LIZ DURANO

When a drunk Santa threatens to ruin my charity winter wonderland, I’m forced to enlist Love Beach hotel tycoon Preston Hollister as a last-minute replacement. To my surprise, this former high school bully becomes a Santa who could give the North Pole a run for its money.

But just as I start warming up to Preston, his company hits us with lease hikes that could close my shop. Can this billionaire prove he’s more than a temporary Santa and truly embody the spirit of giving? Or will my growing feelings clash with the need to save everything I’ve built?

MERRY WITH A TYCOON is now LIVE and Free to read in KINDLE UNLIMITED!

BUY LINK: AMAZON ➭ amazon.com/dp/B0DC53L1DJ

Add to your TBR:

Liz’s first attempt at writing her stories almost got her kicked out of middle school due to NSFW content if not for agreeing to the principal’s suggestion that she channel her angst into Poetry Club instead. Now Poetry Club wasn’t as cool as Drama Club but a deal was a deal and Sister Jerri never told her parents about her NSFW stories either.

These days, Liz writes women’s fiction and romance that’s been described as earthy and hard-won. Her books, which range from sweet to steamy romances, portray relationships that are emotional and sometimes angsty but always with a happily-ever-after. And this time, no one’s kicking her out for writing them.

You can learn more about her books by signing up for her newsletter at lizduranobooks.com/subscribe.

FIND LIZ ONLINE:
Website: lizduranobooks.com
Facebook: facebook.com/lizduranobooks
Instagram: instagram.com/lizdurano
Tiktok: tiktok.com/@lizdurano
Pinterest: pinterest.com/lizdurano
Ream: reamstories.com/lizdurano

UNDER THE WISHING TREE by June Gray – Featured New Release

UNDER THE WISHING TREE

June Gray

BLURB

Welcome to Oakwood Hollow, where the coffee is good and the townsfolk are delightfully offbeat.

Graham Moore never intended to go to this quaint little town. But one wrong train lands him in Oakwood Hollow just as it gears up for its annual festival, celebrating a tree that is said to grant wishes. Intrigued by the legend and the beautiful-but-slightly-grumpy cafe owner, he decides to stick around for a little while longer.

Eden Mendoza has lived in Oakwood Hollow most of her life, but she might be the only person in town who doesn’t believe in the tree lore. She instead focuses on the tangible—her found family, her thriving knitting business, and, now, this charming soldier who unexpectedly comes into her cafe.

They spend only one day together, but in those few short hours, they form a connection neither can deny. But when Graham inevitably leaves, Eden is left wondering if she’ll ever see him again, or if their brief time together will become nothing but a memory.

Told through dual timelines and point-of-views, Under the Wishing Tree is a story about the magic of second chances, and the unexpected paths that lead us to where we’re meant to be. Perfect for fans of the Gilmore Girls, Lucy Score, and Sarah Addison Allen.

Buy Link: Amazon

ABOUT JUNE

June Gray is a daydreamer who, at the age of ten, penned a short story inspired by a Judy Blume novel and has been unable to stop writing since. She loves to tell stories that titillate and enrage, that break the reader’s heart and put it back together again.

Her fairy-tale life has been lived on four different continents—most notably, in a two-hundred-forty-year-old castle in rural Germany owned by a Graf. She was born in the Philippines, raised in Australia, and now calls the United States home, and she can currently be found dodging tornadoes in Oklahoma with her husband and two daughters.

Social Media Links:

Website: https://www.authorjunegray.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorjunegray/

TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@authorjunegray

Threads: https://www.threads.net/@authorjunegray

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJuneGray/

THE RELUCTANT FIANCÉE by Liz Durano – Featured New Release

The Reluctant Fiancée

LIZ DURANO

After abruptly calling off her wedding to her Silicon Valley business partner, tech executive Summer Avila stumbles upon a long-forgotten reservation for a rustic cabin nestled in the snowy mountains and decides to take it, even if it means she’ll be alone on Christmas Eve.

But her plans take an unexpected turn when she crosses paths with rugged mountain guide and lodge manager Forrest Peters who invites her to join him and his family for Christmas Eve dinner. His world of family values and nature is just the distraction she needs, a stark contrast to the tech-driven world Summer’s used to yet no longer makes her happy.

For Forrest, Summer’s arrival stirs up emotions he’s long buried, forcing him to confront his fears of opening up his heart, even if it’s to someone who doesn’t belong in his world.

But just when Summer’s ready to explore the possibilities of life at the lodge, a threat to her position in her company forces her to focus on protecting her life’s work and legacy.

Will she return to her planned, predictable life in the boardroom or will she dare to embrace the uncertainties of new love in the backwoods? And can Forrest let go of his guarded past to take a chance on a future with someone so different, yet so right?

The Reluctant Fiancée is a sweet holiday romance and is the second book in the Holiday Engagement series that began with The Replacement Fiancé.

BUY LINKS:

AMAZON ➭ geni.us/reluctantfianceeAZ
APPLE ➭ geni.us/reluctantfianceeAB
NOOK ➭ geni.us/reluctantfianceeBN
KOBO ➭ geni.us/reluctantfianceeKB
GOOGLE ➭ geni.us/reluctantfianceeGP

Add to your TBR:

ALSO AVAILABLE:

The Replacement Fiancé: A Sweet Holiday Romance
UNIVERSAL LINK: geni.us/replacementfiance

You can learn more about her books by signing up for her newsletter at lizduranobooks.com/subscribe.

EVERY OUNCE OF COURAGE by Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino – FAHM Spotlight

EVERY OUNCE OF COURAGE

A Daughter’s Reflections On Her Mother’s Bravery

Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino

BLURB

It began with an unexpected phone call and a startling statement: “You don’t know me, but your mother saved my life.”

The late-night conversation with an American World War II veteran revealed to Elizabeth Ann Besa Quirino the untold stories of her mother’s remarkable wartime heroism and sparked a twenty-year journey of discovery about her lifelong acts of bravery and compassion.

Lourdes “Lulu” Reyes Besa channeled the heartbreak of a childhood tragedy into a profound sense of compassion and service. She helped raise three brothers while still a child herself in the early years of the 20th century. Then, as a young socialite in the heydays of 1930s Manila, she focused on meaningful philanthropy and charity work. During the merciless Japanese occupation of the Philippines, Lulu embarked unflinchingly on dangerous missions to bring aid and comfort that meant the difference between life and death to countless Filipino and American prisoners of war. She continued to face personal grief and adversity in the later decades of her life but met each challenge as before – with every ounce of courage, fortitude, and grace.

Elizabeth Ann delved into a trove of old letters, photographs, and recipes in search of the source of her mother’s courageous spirit. In Lulu’s story, she found a complex life full of joy, sorrow, selflessness, and survival, and learned precious lessons about how the timeless bonds of family, the steadfast strength of faith, and the power of an indomitable will can provide solace and sense in a world of uncertainty. Every Ounce of Courage by Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino is Now Available on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble online bookstores.

ABOUT BETTY ANN

Betty Ann Elizabeth Ann Besa-Quirino is a cookbook author, an award-winning journalist, a food writer, a correspondent, a previous college professor, and a former ad agency copywriter/creative director. She blogs and develops recipes about Filipino home cooking on her popular website The Quirino Kitchen (thequirinokitchen.com)

She is a multi-award winner of the Plaridel Writing Awards for excellence in journalism, given by the Philippine-American Press Club in San Francisco, California, and is the recipient of a Doreen Gamboa Fernandez Food Writing Award for her essay, “A HundredMangoes in A Bottle.” She was named one of the FWN Filipina Women’s Network 100 Most Influential Women of the World.

Follow her on:

Website – The Quirino Kitchen
Facebook – Asian In America Filipino Food
Twitter – @BettyAnnQuirino
Instagram – @bettyannquirino

REVIEW

When a book educates you, makes you cry, and provides you valuable resources you can apply to daily life, you have yourself one for the keeper shelf. Every Ounce of Courage is a one-of-a-kind book that defies genre definitions. Part memoir, part historical drama, and part cookbook, it’s a totally engaging read.

Lulu Reyes Besa was never mentioned in any Filipino history books I ever read when I was a student in the Philippines. It was a terrible injustice for her and thousands of women who were never recognized for their heroic deeds. I am immensely grateful to Betty Ann Quirino for bringing her mother’s story to light. This book should be in libraries and schools in the Philippines to introduce an inspiring historical figure to the youth, especially young women, and to stir their emotions about the ravages of war that no textbook could ever accomplish.

For me, the aspects of this book that touched me the most were the food memories. Reading Betty Ann’s reminiscing about her mom’s, sister’s, and godmother’s cooking made me remember my own experiences of watching my Nanay Maring and my dad and titos cook during fiestas and special occasions. Those chapters made me smile most often and cry the hardest.

With its celebration of history, food, and family, Every Ounce of Courage is the perfect read during Filipino American History Month and every month.

5 stars

ASIAN ROMANCE GIVEAWAY 2023

ASIAN ROMANCE GIVEAWAY

In celebration of Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month in the US and Asian Heritage Month in Canada, a group of us Romance Authors with Asian heritage banded together to give away a signed paperback copy of one of our books to one lucky winner:

THE COMEBACK by Lily Chu

WINGS ONCE CURSED & BOUND by Piper J. Drake

LUNAR LOVE by Lauren Kung Jessen

FULL EXPOSURE by Thien-Kim Lam

SINGAPORE FLING by Maida Malby

ZORA BOOKS HER HAPPY EVER AFTER by Taj McCoy

ISHA, UNSCRIPTED by Sajni Patel

FANCY MEETING YOU HERE by Julie Tieu (ARC)

COMING CLEAN by Jen Trinh

GIVE LOVE A CHAI by @nanxiwenauthor

ROLE PLAYING by @cathyyardley (ARC)

This giveaway is open to US residents only. Enter at KingSumo between May 7 to 14, 2023. A winner will be randomly selected on Monday, 5/15. You can also find details on Julie Tieu’s website.

VAMPIRE MAGIC By PK Reeves – Featured New Release

VAMPIRE MAGIC

The Lineage Series Book 2

P.K. Reeves

BLURB

Audrey Sanders has been doing much better after surviving the attack from a lost elf prince and adjusting to her life as a vampire. Before that, she had just graduated high school, believing that she was a regular teenager. The night of her high school graduation car accident gave her a dose of reality that she wasn’t prepared for. She has always been a witch, magic is ingrained in her blood, but as a human, it was so minuscule that it was hidden from her. Now that she is a vampire, she also has to deal with the magic she had no training in.

She has been given a command from June Li, the Chamber member of the United States. June wants Audrey to turn more witches into vampires. Something no other vampire was ever able to do. Either powerful witches died tragically, or they lost all of their power during the process. Audrey starts the vetting process of witches who volunteer despite the risk of death. She also begins to explore her new bonds with her familiars. Not the typical familiars’ witches bond with to help with magic, but powerful lycanthropes who hold their own power in the supernatural world.

Keeping her magic caused tremors in the paranormal world. There hasn’t been new magic born into the world for centuries. Now, that magic is owned by vampires, who never had any gifts for sensing or using magic. No one is prepared for what Audrey is capable of as she explores her magic and bonds during the lull of peace between her and the elves. Another force moves against her, a consequence of using magic from when she was even less familiar with it. It threatens her Family, her mate, and the lycanthropes with whom she made her bonds. Can she make peace with it, or will that even be an option?

Buy Link: Books2Read

ABOUT P.K.

P.K. is a Filipino American born and raised in the United States. She currently resides in the state of Virginia with her daughter and cat. With a degree in computer science, she is still learning other programming languages and looking forward to continuing her education in the future.

When P.K. isn’t working on her next book, she is working, reading manga or comics, and is always on the lookout for when she can go to the next convention. A big fan of horror and science fiction thrillers. P.K. is a new adult author that writes across genres, including fantasy, urban fantasy, horror, sci-fi, and urban fantasy romance.

Social Media Links:

ASIAN ROMANCE GIVEAWAY

WIN 8 ASIAN ROMANCE BOOKS!

In honor of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, a few of us Asian Romance authors are offering an Asian Romance giveaway. One lucky winner will be randomly selected to win all 8 books:

The Stand-In by Lily Chu (paperback)
Happy Endings by Thien-Kim Lam (signed paperback)
Donut Fall in Love by Jackie Lau (signed paperback)
Going Public by Hudson Lin (signed paperback)
Singapore Fling by Maida Malby (signed paperback (US only); ebook (international winner))
Circling Back to You by Julie Tieu (signed paperback ARC)
Give Love a Chai by Nanxi Wen (signed paperback or ebook)
Love, Comment, Subscribe by Cathy Yardley (paperback)

Rules:

This giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents. To enter, please either subscribe to an author’s newsletter or follow them on social media as directed in the Rafflecopter. Participants can submit as many entries as they like (up to 8 max). This raffle will be active from May 8-13th, 2022. A winner will be contacted by Monday, May 16th. At that time, the winner must provide a valid mailing address and/or email to receive the books. Good luck!

Enter the giveaway here: https://bit.ly/AsianRomanceGiveaway

Reposted from Julie Tieu.